Gina Gibson, BHSU assistant professor of digital media, currently has an art exhibit featuring 78 pieces, all inspired by the 78 cards in a tarot deck. The exhibit titled “Illuminations” runs until Dec. 8 at the Apex art gallery at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

While teaching classes at Black Hills State University, Gina Gibson tells her students that the inspiration for their designs can come from anywhere. Her latest art project is proof of that.

Gibson, BHSU assistant professor of digital media, currently has an art exhibit featuring 78 pieces, all inspired by the 78 cards in a tarot deck. The exhibit titled “Illuminations” runs until Dec. 8 at the Apex art gallery at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.

Gibson’s idea for “Illuminations” came after attending her first tarot card reading at a friend’s house three years ago. “I was floored at how beautiful the cards were,” said Gibson. “I found the imagery on the cards rich, compelling and interesting.”

Her friend explained some of the symbols and meanings of the cards which further intrigued Gibson. “The symbols alone are so interesting and engaging,” she said.

Gibson spent the next several years researching the more than 20 different tarot decks versions and meanings associated with each card. For her project, she decided on the traditional Rider-Waite tarot deck.

“I researched and interpreted the meaning of the cards for my own use,” she said.“The images I have used to create my deck are from a varied mix of sources such as photography, old master artworks and Japanese woodblock prints."

Gibson said she didn’t know the final design of each card until the last minute. “Creating this artwork has been interesting because I never knew where a piece would end up because of the wide selection of options at hand,” Gibson said.

Each piece is in an 8x10 frame with the cards lining the gallery. Gibson said she enjoys small-scale images because it draws the viewer in. “You have to get close to fully engage with the piece,” she said.

While Gibson has had many art exhibits in her career,“Illuminations” is her most cohesive show as well as the largest as far as number of pieces.

Gibson’s exhibit was funded, in part, by a BHSU grant program that was established to promote research, scholarship and creative activities across all disciplines at BHSU.

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